I think we can all agree social media is an important marketing tool at this point. It has been a major game changer and overall affecting the way we brand and communicate our businesses both commercial and personal.
I have met so many people and companies who have great ideas for building their brand on social media but end up getting overwhelmed by not knowing what they want. They get stuck on trying to figure out what type of content to post, the look and more importantly the goal of their accounts. Too often they end up comparing their ideas far too much on others’ accounts which in turn doesn’t make sense as your idea or product/service might not be original or new, but what you have to offer is.
Ideas are nothing without setting goals, so start with actually planning your social media content and set a date when you will start. The overall point is to just start.
In my own experience, accounts usually don’t always get it right first time. However, that’s the whole point as your learn to adjust and you can really find out what works for your audience…and them from you.
So here’s my tips on how you actually start implementing social media to build your brand:
1. Look at similar accounts that promote services/products for inspiration
As stated before, don’t let other accounts look and content completely override your vision and confidence. Chances are they have access to very different resources at wherever stage their business is at. Do note how you delight in their content, how they promote or communicate their product/services etc. It’s not just the images or videos, but also the voice coming through the copy and note how you need to stand out and talk to your customer/audience.
2. As with all marketing, you need to know WHO you are talking to.
It all comes down to knowing who your market is and understanding your audience. It will help determine which social media platform to put your efforts in and what you’ll need for your content strategy.
3. Research on what types/style of content your audience/market is most responsive to and delights in.
You social media strategy is not exempt from doing research. It ultimately forms part of your marketing and communications strategy and will also determine what type of traffic you will drive to your website. Your research will look into what platforms your market or audience likes, what type of content they like to see or engage with and how they use the platforms tools to engage with who they follow to get their attention.
4. Be authentic.
We all have something unique to offer even in a saturated market. While you search for inspiration in other social media accounts from similar brands, keep in mind how you will communicate YOUR brand and its offerings. Your authenticity is what will help build and leverage your brand’s presence online and offline.
Avoid completely copying another brand’s content and communication style. You will get nowhere and most likely lose the audience that’s actually looking for you! For example if you see competitors in your industry using Instagram Reels with a trending soundtrack…you can also do a reel with that song (because you need work with the platform’s tools), but make sure the content/video is unique to your offering and brand and not a direct and complete rip off.
Get creative. Not lazy.
5. Introduce yourself. The social part of social media loves to connect to an actual person.
You are the best part of your brand. Open. Up. The. Dialogue!
If you are a business, then speak to your audience person to person. This is why creating a relevant, relatable and personal voice is so important. You will need to be able to converse when engaging with your audience to help build community and make them feel comfortable.
That’s my learnings. It’s all trial and error. It takes a while to figure it out, so keep going. You can always re-work your feeds and content along the way
Thanks for reading
Bee
beedujour.com 